1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the pumping and recovery of underground liquids and, more particularly, to the utilization of hydraulic principles to facilitate the pumping of liquids without the use of sucker rods.
2. Description of Related Art
There is currently a need in the oil industry for a pump that will pump deeper wells, produce more volume and be capable of recovering fluids from diagonal drilling and crooked wells. Current technology fails to solve the problem of lifting water more than 500 feet while being able to use solar and wind applications for a power source. There is also a current problem in certain fields of disposing of unwanted fluids without using extra pumping devices to aid in the process. Embodiments of the present invention are capable of meeting all of the described needs while also being more energy efficient.
In the oil industry currently, the major pump type for deeper wells relies on a pumpjack, which has been used in the industry since early in the 20th century. Earlier technology has also been used fluid to transfer pressures to a pump in a downhole situation.
With the current boom of horizontal drilling, the pumpjack or sucker rod pump is not efficient for this type of drilling. Because of the mechanical connection from the surface to the downhole unit, the pumpjack is locked at the precise distance to be traveled and has a difficult time oscillating rods in horizontal positions or in deviated wells. Embodiments of the present invention have the capability of variation in travel and cycles in each pump, which eliminates rod wear and improves efficiency and reduces wear in the downhill pump.
Current technologies do not have a backflush filtering system, which do not permit the pump to be backflushed, thus creating maintenance problems.
The current technologies also require the entire pump and tubing to be pulled for repairs and do not have the capability of draining the fluid, which therefore creates potential environmental problems when pulling the rods and tubing from the hole.
There is thus a present need for an invention which offers configurations that accommodate industry needs, such as the need for energy efficiency, a less laborious means of horizontal pumping, and the ability to dispose of unwanted fluids from one zone while pumping valuable fluids out of a different zone. There is also a present need for a pump which can lift fluid higher than is currently possible with solar and/or wind powered pumps.